Washing and drying machine



June 3, 1941. o. P. KEYS WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE I Filed Sept. 27,1938 Patented June 3, 1941 UNETED STATES PAT WASHING AND DRYING MACHINEOpie P. Keys, Jonesboro, Tenn. Application September 27, 1938, SerialNo. 231,863 4 Claims. ll ill) This invention relates to an improvedcleaning machine more particularly adapted for cleaning the movements ofwatches, clocks and other delicate mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a cleaning machine whereinmeans are employed for permitting the cleaning of watch movements or thelike in a cleaning fluid in a highly efficient manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter embodying means for effectively drying a watch movement orother delicate mechanism after it has been cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning machine whichwill permit washing and drying of watch movements or the like withoutinjury to any of the parts thereof.

As a still further object, the invention seeks to provide a machineembodying structure which will effect agitation of the cleaning fluidwithin the liquid carrying means so that effective cleaning of the partsof the watch movement or the like by said cleaning fluid will beassured.

As a further object, the invention provides a simple and highlyeffective machine whereby a watch movement may be cleaned withoutdisassembling said movement other than to remove the dial and releasethe tension of the main spring so that the pivots will be free in thejewels or pivot bearings.

Other objects of the invention not mentioned hereinbefore will becomeapparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing forming a part of my application:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cleaning machine.

Figure 2 is a top partly broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, whereinsimilarreference numerals will be seen to designate like partsthroughout the views, the numeral I indicates the base of my improvedcleaning machine. The base, preferably formed of heavy cast metal and isoblong in shape, being reduced toward its forward end. The base has astandard 2 rising from the larger end thereof and said standard is castintegral with said base. A bracket 3, preferably formed of cast metal,is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the reduced end of the baseand said bracket carries a socket 4 of conventional design. A light bulb5, also conventional, is normally screwed in the socket 4.

Swingingly mounted on the upper end of the plan view of the machine,

standard 2 is a substantially circular motor mounting ring 6, said ringbeing formed of flat sheet metal and having ears 1 and 8 which straddlethe upper end of the standard. A bolt 9 extends through the upper end ofthe standard and through said ears and said bolt has a wing nut i0screwed thereon. It will be seen that, by tightening the wing nut on thebolt, the motor mounting ring will be rigidly secured in set position.

The motor mounting ring 6 rigidly mounts a motor II which is of anysuitable construction. The motor would ordinarily be of the fractionalhorsepower, volt universal type. The motor includes a shaft 52.

Mounted on the upper face of the motor I i are pairs of table mountingbrackets i3 and i i. As will be seen in Figure 2 of the drawing, thetable mounting brackets of each pair of brackets have corresponding endportions fastened to the upper face of the motor by means of fasteningdevices I5. The brackets Hi and it are formed of semi-resilient sheetmetal and are connected at their corresponding upper ends to a tableto". More specifically, as best seen in Figure 2, the brackets of thepair of brackets it have corresponding upper ends attached to points onthe opposite sides of one end of the table, while the correspondingupper ends of the brackets of the pair of brackets [6 are connected topoints on the side portions of the opposite end of the table.

A vibratory shaft i? is carried by the table and has its upper endrotatably mounted in a bearing i8 which is secured to the under face ofthe table. The lower end of said shaft is fixedly mounted in a couplingl 9 which is formed of flexible material. The coupling 59, at itsopposite end, receives the upper free end of the shaft I2. A bearing 2%journals the shaft il at substantially its midportion and said bearingis mounted on resilient brackets 2i and 22 which have theircorresponding upper ends fastened to the under surface of the table. Avibratory collar 23 is mounted on the shaft ll between the bearings l8and 2d and, of course, beneath the table, said collar serving to mount avibratory weight 24 which is eccentrically disposed with respect to theaxis of said collar.

Mounted on theunder surface of the table and depending therefrom tosurround the upper portion of the light bulb 5, is a heat deflectinghood 25, said hood having an open upper end which communicates with theunder surface of a drying screen 26, said screen being mounted in anopening 27 in one corner of the table l6.

Mounted on the upper surface of the table, diagonally with respect tothe opening 21 and drying screen 26, is a washing cup 28, said cuphaving a lid 29 provided with a handle 30. The lid 29 is normally heldin closing position on the cup 28 by means of a spring clamp 3| which ispreferably formed from a single strand of heavy wire bent upon itself todefine a U-shaped bight portion 32, intermediate portions 33, andclamping fingers 34, which clamping fingers overlie the upper surface ofthe lid 29 in straddling relation with the handle 30.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Cleaning fluid is firstplaced in the washing cup 28. The watch movement or the like to becleaned is then placed Within the cup and in the cleaning fluid, itbeing understood, of course, that the dial of the watch has been removedand the main spring released for freeing the pivots in the bearings orjewels. The lid is then placed upon the cup and is held in place by theclamp 3|. The electric motor is then started. Rotation of the shaft l2of the motor will communicate rotative movement through the coupling iiito the shaft i'i. Said shaft ll will thus be caused to rotate forrotating the vibratory collar 23 with the vibratory weight 24 thereon.Inasmuch as the vibratory weight is eccentrically mounted with respectto the axis of the shaft H, the shaft i! will be unbalanced so as tocause it to vibrate. Vibration of the shaft I! will, of course, betransmitted to the table 16 and said table will be caused to vibratevery rapidly. The resilient brackets l3 and IA will, of course, permitvibratory movement of the table with respect to the motor. The bracketsi3 and M will, however, be of sufflcient rigidity to mount the tableeffectively so that collapse thereof will not take place. It will beseen, also, that vibratory movement will be transmitted from the shaftll through the bearing 28 and the brackets 21 and 22 to the table. Asthe table 3 is vibrated, the fluid Within the cup 28 will be agitatedand caused to circulate back and forth through the elements of themechanism being cleaned. In this manner, the elements will beeffectively cleaned.

After the mechanism has been cleaned, the electric light bulb 5 isenergized so that the heat therefrom will be caused to rise within theheat deflecting hood 25 and pass through the drying screen 23. The hood25, as will be observed, is enlarged toward its lower end so that an airspace will be defined between the lower end of said hood and the surfaceof the light bulb so that air will be permitted to pass upwardly pastthe bulb and through the screen. The mechanism to be dried is placedupon the screen so that heat passing from the bulb through the hood andscreen will effectively dry said mechanism.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that it will be possibleto clean a watch movement or other delicate mechanism withoutdisassembling it, with the obvious advantage that much time and laborwill be saved. The invention is characterized by the utmost simplicityand durability.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a cleaning machine, a base, a motor carried by the base, a table,means resiliently connecting the table with the motor, means mountedbetween the motor and table and being operable by rotation of the motorfor vibrating the table, and means carried by the base and energizablefor projecting heat to the table for drying articles on said table.

2. In a cleaning machine, a base having a standard, a motor on thestandard, a table, brackets resiliently connecting the table with themotor, said motor having a shaft, a flexible coupling carried by theshaft, a vibratory shaft having one end mounted in the flexible couplingand the other end mounted on the table, a vibratory collar carried bythe vibratory shaft, a vibratory weight carried by the vibratory collar,a bearing surrounding the vibratory shaft, brackets resilientlyconnecting the bearing with the table, and a liquid supporting meanscarried by the table, said motor being operable for rotating the shaftswhereby the table will be vibrated for agitating fluid in the liquidsupporting means for washing mechanism in said liquid supporting means.

3. In a cleaning machine, a table, said table having an opening therein,a drying screen mounted in the opening, a heat deflecting unit carriedby the table beneath the drying screen, a base, means carried by thebase for mounting the table for vibratory movement, heating meanscarried by the base, and article supporting means carried by the table,said article supporting means supporting an article to be cleaned andfluid for a cleaning operation upon vibration of the table, said dryingscreen and heating means cooperating for drying the article aftercleaning thereof.

4. In a cleaning machine, a table, a washing cup carried by the table,said cup having a lid, a clamp normally retaining the lid in position onthe cup, said clamp engaging the under surface of the table and theupper surface of said lid, said table having an opening, a drying screenin the opening, a heat deflecting hood carried by the drying screen,heating means beneath the deflecting hood, a base, a standard carried bythe base, a motor on the standard, brackets resiliently connecting thetable with the motor, a vibratory shaft carried by the table, flexiblemeans operatively connecting the vibratory shaft with the motor shaft,2. vibratory collar on the vibratory shaft, and a vibratory weightcarried by the vibratory collar, rotation of the motor shaft impartingrotation to the vibratory shaft whereby said vibratory weight will causevibration of said vibratory shaft and consequent vibration of, the tablefor agitating cleaning fluid in the washing cup whereby an article inthe cup will be effectively cleaned, said article being adapted to bepositioned on the drying screen for drying by'heat passing through theheat deflecting hood.

OPIE P. KEYS.

